Hello Autumn…

Last weekend, Easter Weekend, Cape Town hosted the 2 Oceans Marathon.
Literally the day after the marathon Cape Town welcomed in Autumn. From Saturday to Sunday it seems the weather went from a lingering summer to it being time to get out my slippers and a snug wrap when I headed to the kitchen in the morning….

Our beautiful oak tree

As we welcome autumn, I feel there is something very special about this time of year. We have a beautiful big oak tree in our front garden and each year it effortlessly loses all its leaves, becoming bare and exposed. Gradually, as spring begins, tiny little green shoots can be seen appearing. This is nature at its most magnificent.
No effort. No struggle. No stress – simply the beautiful cycle of nature.

Hidden among the leaves of the oak we get to spot the squirrels.

Squirreling away acorns

They are busy little creatures at his time of year, finding fallen acorns and carefully planting them into the soil all over the garden, saving them for winter.

It is an absolute delight to watch. They scurry around, freely enjoying the tree, enjoying life and taking care of their future.

Which brings me to my topic for today: Are you taking care of your future? Are you putting away and therefore taking care of your future?

Are you saving?

You might be asking, when is the right time to start saving?

Why should you save?

How much should I save?

These are questions that you should ask yourself, even if you don’t have an immediate answer. If you’re struggling with the first question, I can help you with a simple answer: Right now. Today. Immediately.

You don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.

I cannot afford to save!

When I earn more, I will start saving!

These little excuses are easy to come by. Don’t let them fool you. You can afford to save, because as that old saying goes, every little cent helps.

Try not to let these questions and mindsets get in the way of you starting your personal saving program. Yes, for many people saving is optional. For example, many people say that they would love to save, and they would save if they could, but due to other financial commitments, SAVING is at the end of the list and it often does not happen, month after month.

Is this YOU?

Then there are people like Dory. I have a friend who used to get sidetracked every time she saw something new in a shop window, and often she would get awfully close to digging into her savings… cue a phone call to her friend Linda, and I would spend a few minutes reminding her of the bigger picture her savings was leading her to.

Remember this: saving is about honouring yourself. After all, you are the one doing all the work. Saving is about paying yourself first. Yes, first. Every time you receive money, no matter how small the amount might be, save a portion. It becomes a way of life. A powerful and deliberate way to live and manage your money!!!

It is not about how much you make, it is about how much you keep. Do it for you. Keep it for you! Experience the thrill and exhilaration when you see your savings grow. Do it for your family, for your children’s future. Sleep easier at night knowing they’re going to go to university.

Can you draw a parallel between your commitment to your saving and your commitment to yourself? How committed are you to your financial well being? What are you saying to yourself about yourself? Are you asking: Am I worth it? (Do I deserve wealth?).

The answer to both those questions is YES! A resounding yes! You are absolutely worth it. If this sounds familiar to you then take this opportunity to start SAVING today. As a commitment to yourself, make saving a priority in your life. Save a percentage of all income/money you receive. It’s as simple as that!

Steps that you can take to start saving:

Start with a small percentage to save, for example, even one or two percent – build it month by month.

Call it your Autumn savings! As your savings grow, you can then begin to consider different investment vehicles. Think of property, short and long term investments, business opportunities, stocks and shares etc.

Remember, it all starts with saving – it is the cornerstone of asset building.

And, if you are already saving, that is wonderful….now you can review your saving goals.

2 Comments

I also find it so much easier to save when I have some small goals along the way. So while the end goal maybe long term – money for some kind of investment (house, stock etc), there has to be some short term goal to make it more exciting along the way. For example, what I do is set mini goals along the way and each time I reach one I allow myself a treat. That could be something like a nice dinner out or a weekend away or it could be that I’ve portioned a little of my savings to pay for a new laptop I need. That way I’m eager to find extra money to put into my savings account because I reach my ‘baby goals’ faster and can have my treat!! It’s fun and it works. Thanks Linda, for all your wonderful work. PS – sending love to the squirrels… I miss them since I left Cape Town 🙁